Reflections: Two Years in Korea

Today is the first day of 2018! Time flies, as they say. This past month, as I’ve finished my last full month of teaching for the school year, I’ve been reflecting on all of my time here. Two years ago I arrived in this small town in rural South Korea, knowing next to nothing. I was nervous out of my mind and filled with self-doubt. I couldn’t stop thinking…how is it possible that they hired ME to teach a bunch of middle school and elementary school kids who speak a different language than me?

From the moment I stepped into my first classroom, nothing was what I was told it was going to be. Nothing could have been farther from what I had imagined it was going to be. Before I moved here I thought I would be teaching cute little elementary students every day and working at the same school at least most days of the week. None of these things were true. I taught at five different schools, one different school each day. Middle school was especially a challenge for me as I hadn’t expected to be teaching that age group at all and I just do much better with younger students in general.

For my first three months, I barely slept at all. My coffee addiction jumped off the charts. From finding the right buses to get me into the countryside at the right time to planning twenty unique lessons a week to trying to understand the social norms of a new culture and society and the stress that comes with starting a new job in general…I was a mess, to say the least.

Despite all of the madness, I ended up staying a second year. This was partially due to all the work I had put into my first year–planning lessons and figuring out life here, and partially due to the fact that I actually started to (gasp) LIKE it here.

My friends here like to joke “If we can make it in this job, we can literally do ANYTHING.” And I really do feel like I can do anything now. Everyone’s job in Korea is different due to different school settings and different coworkers, but generally we all share the “WHAT IS HAPPENING” feeling at the end of the day. To my friends here…we made it through the year. Congratulations, you’re amazing.

Last year, I made some New Year’s resolutions on this blog, so I thought I’d revisit them to check in with myself, and see if it’s even worth making new ones this year (haha).

Well! It wasn’t so painful after all. I hiked, I studied Korean although I took an online class rather than continuing my self-study (I plan to continue that once I get back to the US and have a lot of time on my hands). Yoga! Always saving my life, one breath, one asana at a time. I visited Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan this year as well as (kind of) North Korea on the DMZ tour. Does that count? I DID pass the border underground. As far as my student loan goes, it’s not quite finished but will be in February(!)

I can’t say I chose to be happy and light EVERY day, because, you know…I’m human. But I felt a definite weight lifted this year…a weight of caring too much what people think and worrying about small things. I feel a lot more in tune with what I need for myself and open to the continued search for all things true and light in the universe. In that sense, life has been lighter.

2018 should be an exciting year. I will visit northern Vietnam in January, finish up my contract in Korea in February, and travel around China and Japan in March and April before heading back to the USA.

In the US, first I’ll visit my mom in Colorado, head to Minnesota to see the majority of my family members and then head to the west coast to visit friends and my little sister, who is having a BABY! That’s right. I’m an auntie now. I have no words for how exciting this is. After that, who knows! I predict more exploration of myself and the world around me and even more freedom as I finally move about the world debt free! (Wooo!)

If you have read this far, thank you for following along on my journey. Thanks for being a part of my life, or if we don’t know each other, thanks for existing and fulfilling your beautiful part of the fabric of the world. Here’s to the new year, lovely people!

6 thoughts on “Reflections: Two Years in Korea”

If you are like me, you have trawled Instagram, thinking “how do so many friggin people on Instagram get so rich and famous”?

I want you to imagine that it is Friday and you have just woken up from a sound slumber.

You spring up to check your cellphone.

Opening up Instagram.

You‘re surprised at what you see: Over 738 likes on a single one of your pictures! There, you can see a flurry of likes on your pictures–over 738 on a single photo alone.

You put your fuzzy slippers on and head to the kitchen for some coffee. After putting on the kettle, you pull out your phone again.

Presto! Another 87 likes.

Ding—another message pops into your inbox from a follower. They’re asking you for advice on how you manage your food, and are congratulating you on your third month of hitting the gym.

A grin makes its way on your face as you read another message. This person emailed you to let you know she loves your posts.

As you sip your tea, you start typing up a response. But then your phone buzzes.

It is another message coming in. You glance up at the clock–almost time for the gym. You’ll have to reply later.
Listen, amandainthewrld, most people just aren’t in control of their life. Heck, they can’t even get themselves to have a balanced breakfast, much less hit the gym.

My job is to take people from Instagram anonymous to Insta-celebrity. (It sounds foolish, but results don’t lie.)

Imagine if you raised your popularity by 100%, or 1000%?

Truth is, it’s not the most complicated thing in the world to get more. For example, all the old pros use our website.

In just minutes after posting, you have your images piled with likes.

With this you’ve a big chance to be featured in the “Top Post” section.

Sound too good for reality? Here’s what you’ve got to do to get a taste:
1. Click https://brightjam.club
2. Put in your Instagram username.
3. The 3 pictures you posted last will get 10 – 15 likes. Just like that.

Being a regular on that page will accelerate your growth 10x, easy. You know where the answer to fame is. Now reach for it. Are you ready?

Imagine: It’s the wee hours of the morning and you told yourself you’d hit the gym today.

You spring up to check your cellphone.

Navigate your way to your page.

You‘re surprised at what you see: Over 832 likes on a single one of your pictures! There, you can see a flurry of likes on your pictures–over 832 on a single photo alone.

Heading to the kitchen, you put the kettle on for some tea and check your Instagram while you wait.

Presto! Another 38 likes.

Here comes another one. This time it’s not a like but a message from one of your followers. They flatter you on your success and let you know they absolutely love your content.

As you read it, you begin to grin. It’s a really attractive person, and they love your posts.

As you begin to write back, your cell buzzes again.

Oops, another ping. But you can’t reply—you’ve got to hit the gym.
Anyways, you get the point. This is the life of an Instagram celebrity. I should know, because I have made many of them.

My job is to take people from Instagram anonymous to Insta-celebrity. (It sounds foolish, but results do not lie.)

Now, what if you increased your popularity by 100%, or 1000%?

It’s not difficult to do, although almost no one does. Just visit our website. There, you’ll learn how to garner Instagram followers and likes like mad…easily.

Automagically see tons of likes on your images just minutes after posting.

With this you have a big chance to be featured in the “Top Post” section.

Sound too good to be true? Just follow these steps to get a taste:
1. Click https://picturestorm.club
2. Enter in your Instagram username.
3. Your 3 most recent uploads are getting 10 – 15 likes. Just like that.

Being a regular on that page will accelerate your growth 10x, easy. You know where the answer to fame is. Now reach for it. Are you ready?

It was very nice to read your reflections on the past two years of your life in Korea. I will be heading to Korea at the end of the month and I am quite nervous about it. I found out that I will be placed in the Jeonbuk region. Im from NYC so rural life will definitely be a bit different for me but reading your blog has made it sound pleasant. I am hoping the apartment I get won’t be in the same state as yours was. That was so mean of the former occupant. SMH. Thanks for your post, it was very reassuring. 🙂

Hi Stacey! Thanks for reading. I’m glad it helped 🙂
Do you know where you’ll be placed? And are you with EPIK? I bet you’ll find your city isn’t as rural as you think it will be. Korea is so well-connected that you won’t have any trouble getting to Jeonju, Gwangju, Daejeon or even Seoul from wherever you end up, even if it is really rural. Feel free to connect with me on facebook if you want (Amanda Mae Prechel)! I’m always happy to answer any questions and I know a lot of people in this province, Koreans and foreigners. Good luck to you as you move!